Taking the 2011 population of each police district and the total crime recorded in that district that year, calendar year statistics released yesterday show the population in the Waitemata District were least affected by crime, with just one incident recorded for every 15.1 people living there.
The most heavily populated police district, Canterbury and the Southern police district were next best, with one crime per every 13.7 people in Canterbury, and one for every 13.3 people in Southern.
Within the Southern police district, where there was a total 13.1% drop in recorded crime (from 26,431 in 2010 to 22,964 last year), Otago had the lower rate of crime per head of population, with one crime recorded for every 13.9 people in each of the Otago Rural and Dunedin-Clutha police areas.
There was a slightly higher rate in Southland, with one crime recorded for every 12.3 people living there.
And things are improving - compared with 2010, the crime rate per head of population decreased in all three police areas even though the population in each area had risen.
The police district with the highest rate of recorded crime per head of population (one crime for every 7.9 people) was Auckland City, which includes Auckland Central, East and West. It was followed by the Eastern district, which includes Gisborne, Hastings and Napier, with one crime recorded for every 8.1 people.
Counties-Manakau, with a population of more than half a million people, recorded one crime for every 10.3 people.
According to police, the total number of recorded crimes in New Zealand continued to tumble last year, down 4.8% to a 15-year low, continuing the trend of the past several years.
Deputy Police Commissioner Mike Bush said the results were a good sign that police and the public remained serious about reducing crime, but that they still had much to do.
"It just motivates us to do even more to keep the downward trend going. We stay firmly targeted on bringing crime further down across the board."
The largest decreases in recorded crime were in Canterbury (-22.2%), Southern (-13.1%), Northland (-10.5%), and Bay of Plenty (-5.6%). Auckland City and Waikato were the only two districts that recorded an increase with 8.3% and 1.7% respectively.
In Southern, all three police areas showed a consecutive year-on-year decrease in recorded crime, with Dunedin-Clutha 13% down on 2010, Otago Rural down 17.3% and Southland down 10.4%.
Resolution rates remained the same in all three areas, with 55% of all crimes in the district resolved.
Insp Sparrow put the decreases in recorded crime down to police knowing their priorities, getting all officers to focus on them, and getting out and connecting with their communities.
The number of drugs offences were reduced dramatically, which could possibly be down to fewer targeted operations taking place last year, he said, and there was still a reasonably high rate of family violence being recorded, although he could not immediately provide figures.
He cautioned that people still needed to take some responsibility for themselves.
Even though assaults were down in Dunedin, alcohol consumption was often linked to behaviour that could escalate into violence. While it was pleasing there were fewer burglaries and thefts recorded, people needed to take basic steps to ensure that they did not become victims of burglary, such as locking doors and closing windows, and to make sure they locked vehicles and that valuables were not left in cars.
Inspector Mike Cook, the area commander for Otago Rural, said the decrease in his area was down to continuing to work with community groups and making sure staff were deployed consistently.
Southland area commander Inspector Lane Todd praised the work of his team and key partnerships with Maori wardens, community patrols and Neighbourhood Watch. He said they were significant contributing factors to the positive results.
Reduced licensed premises hours in the Invercargill CBD also continued to have a positive impact, with an overall reduction of 42% of total offending in the CBD, he said.
Southern district commander Superintendent Bob Burns said he was very pleased with the latest results, which provided further validation of the "transformational change" Southern district had undergone in the past three years.
"Already Southern is a safer place to live and work and I am confident we will make it even safer in the coming year."
